


want to be close

by passionred (berryargento)



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Online Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-06-13 11:03:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15363186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/berryargento/pseuds/passionred
Summary: No one can exactly blame an encounter, but then, will they come through intimacy?





	1. init_login

**Author's Note:**

> Not exactly confident I can finish this tbh ;;; Oh hey, hello, I'm in mood for some YukiRin; the initial ideas are not mine and here we are, an AU without Roselia. Anyways, enjoy!
> 
> Btw the title is from a song (again), maybe you can guess from where it is from XD

< **Snowy Sniper** logged in.  >  
  
INITIALIZING LOG DATA.  
  
1% … … … 99%. _LOADING COMPLETE._  
  
WELCOME TO HEAVEN BANISHER ONLINE INTERFACE.  
  
< >  
  
< **NightSun** invited you to enter OPERA_OF_THE_WASTELAND arena. Co-op mode. 5h ago.  >  
  
< **NightSun** needs help on the Saturday EXP raid. Click here to login. 6h ago  >  
  
< **Princess of Darkness** leveled up to 60! 24h ago.  >  
  
Golden eyes squinted on the overnight log, lips pursed as she is thinking. She only got a time now in afternoon because she was busy with her gigs yesterday. While it has been quite a usual stuff to see her friend log is flooding with update from two person at most, Minato Yukina couldn’t hide her amusement.  
  
“They surely play a lot,” Yukina chuckled upon rolling her index finger on mouse wheel. The updates filled with mostly NightSun and Princess of Darkness, in which two of them seem to unlock new achievement every time and working together on some paired stages.  
  
Then, what took Yukina by surprise, is a sudden new log with a different pop-up voice, signaling that somebody in her friend roster is online.  
  
< **RinRin** signs in.--Log in on Heaven Banisher Online to greet them! 2m ago.  >  
  
Yukina blinked, her mug of tea on her hand is almost forgotten. That person is finally online after so long, though the only one online beside the owner of said character ‘RinRin’ is only her.  
  
< 1 message from RinRin >  
  
The lilac-haired girl hovered the pointer to seek the game window’s chat interface, to the unread message by said person.  
  
[ **RinRin:** Snowy Sniper-san, are you free right now? If so, can you please accompany me in Opera of the Wasteland arena? ^^a ]  
  
[ **RinRin:** Ah, if you’re not free, then it’s okay m_m ]  
  
Yukina stirred her grey-colored mug a bit, composing a reply on the back of her mind. She glanced by the wall clock behind her - it’s 3 PM, the usual studio gigs around Saturday will start around 6 PM, she still have a lot of time to spare. Not to mention, this RinRin haven’t logged in after some while…  
  
[ _Snowy Sniper is typing …_ ]  
  
[ **Snowy Sniper:** Alright, why not? ]  


* * *

  
  
Every time Yukina booted in to the game; wearing her VR helmet on, checking the connection strength and making sure no one bothers her, she would always think of ‘why’.  
  
Why would she invest her time to play such Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game in Virtual Reality rather than spending time reading about music? / Why would she bother to check overnight logs from friends and seek for online tips about her in-game class’ specialty? / Why a stoic, music-oriented Minato Yukina spend her time there playing some silly games?  
  
… Well, everything started with a reason, which is dated pretty much as far as six months ago.  
  
Being a regular in music studio as an indie singer, Yukina got several friends whom shared the same interests with her. At first, it was only one solo guitarist Hikawa Sayo from her childhood friend Imai Lisa, and then Yukina asked to help a certain indie rock band called Afterglow to be a second singer for their one and two gigs. Not long because her recurring helping hand, she befriended more and more people, invited here and there just to watch or comment on the music, until--  
  
“Yukina-san! Can you help me with this one!?”  
  
That night after one of Afterglow mini concert; Sayo, Lisa, and Yukina got to relax over a cup of tea and sweets around the studio, when a certain drummer assistant of Afterglow come to their table. The purple-haired girl seem to be running from the backstage as she was out-of-breath.  
  
“Did something happen, Udagawa-san? You look in such hurry.” Sayo commented. The turquoise-haired girl pulled a chair for the girl to sit.  
  
“Is it the set again, Ako?” Lisa added.  
  
While Yukina is acquainted with Afterglow more, the drummer assistant - or so Tomoe, the Afterglow drummer said - Udagawa Ako is someone she couldn’t ignore. She might be young and smaller than Tomoe, but she got the right passion for music which Yukina could accept. Sometimes, Ako would get in as a drummer replacement in one of Afterglow gigs. Also, Ako and Sayo ever helped Yukina in one of her solo stages too, so it’s kinda natural for them to meet up and spending time together in nearby cafe or family restaurants after some events.  
  
“No, no, it’s not about the set. Himari-chan and Onee-chan already taking care of stuffs~” Ako was talking fast. “I, I want you to help my friend!”  
  
Yukina quirked her brow up, “Your … friend?” Yukina turned to Lisa and Sayo, whom giving Yukina a noncommittal shrug. “Is it some concert or small stages outside Circle?”  
  
“Oh, no! It’s from an online game!”  
  
Silence.  
  
Yukina thought it would be over-the-top of importance and then … she couldn’t help but to shot a blank look. Sayo is doing the same. And Lisa … just being Lisa, between shocked and looking at Ako strangely.  
  
“Are you sure you’re asking the right person, Ako?” Lisa questioned back.  
  
Ako’s response was a confused head tilt. “Well, umm. I mean, you--you’re the only one I can ask for help! Also this is very, veeery urgent.”  
  
If only Ako never helped Yukina from time to time, she won’t even reconsider to hearing the little girl out.  
  
\- -  
  
Long story short, this is a summary of what happened:  
Ako had a friend online who seem to be struggling over several issues; mostly about social interactions. This friend of Ako’s befriended nobody and she seem less spirited about everything to the point Ako didn’t know how to cheer her up anymore. The only place she could be about close to socialize is through the online game. Also since the VR set for MMORPG is given free by the governor to support local VRMMORPG server, there goes **NightSun, Princess of Darkness, Snowy Sniper** and **Chikuzenni** to play Heaven Banisher Online, helping the user RinRin in her conquest of “making friends outside Ako”.  
  
It ever crossed Yukina’s mind once whether to meet the person behind RinRin, but Ako said that it’s no use since the person is quite busy. Hence, when she’s online every now and then, it would surprise Yukina nonetheless.  
  
After the loading commenced and Yukina took a full control of her character, she opened the chat room with RinRin again.  
  
[ RinRin: Please wait for me on Plaza 001, I need to readjust my inventory first. Sorry to make you wait, though.  >< ]  
  
At least some time for me to think--Yukina solemnly said to herself.  
  
Her character is being logged in on the bridge leading to said Plaza 001. Yukina studied the character reflection over the river water -- it’s the same warrior in black high collar coat and a fedora of roses. Ako ever said to not associate the real world look in the in-game look so Yukina chose a flowing dark blue hair to complete her character.  
  
Not long after crossing the bridge and passing several large buildings, the spacious place with a large fountain is seen. People are coming and going, sometimes with screen floating in front of them saying ‘TRADE/SELL’. Seeking for a less crowded area to stay idle where pigeons have gathered and fly upon Yukina’s arrival. She then settled on one of empty pillars of abandoned building, sitting one of large scattered marble there, ignoring some passing people eyes who’s seeing her Sniper class attire.  
  
Heaven Banisher Online is one of famous VRMMORPG with a dystopia theme. The backstory and some of main events will tell you about how people ‘down here’ are thrown away from ‘Heaven’ above because of any of ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ the player choose before the game starts. The story progressed as the story character doing whatever they can to be accepted on ‘Heaven’ again, to discover that ‘Heaven’ is no longer there -- the place they have been saying as Heaven is eventually corrupted by an army of Devils. The players then tasked to brace for war against Heaven and eventually ‘banish’ it.  
  
That being said as the main concentration of story, as a side attraction, HBO holds a raid where you will have to duel other players’ group called ‘Opera of the Wasteland’ arena. That arena is what Yukina and user RinRin will play as a group of two. The arena is open every day and it is always lively so you won’t wait too long in queue before the game starts.  
  
“Plaza 001, okay. Now then let’s check the stock of medicines for later …”  
  
“I’m sorry Snowy Sniper-san, did you wait long?”  
  
Ah, speak of the devil. Yukina tilted her fedora to see that in front of her is spread nothing but a flock of pigeons flying again, leaving the plaza while nothing disturbed them. Then, someone peeked away through a sudden open space, unequipped her cloak of invisibility in seconds. Black hair fluttering in sight, enclosed upon tall red witch hat. Her robe of fire was lighted earlier upon arrival, which died down leaving little sparks of golden. What crowned her face is a black mask of Raven, only part of her small smile could be seen.  
  
RinRin, False Heavenly Witch class, Lv. 77--so the window popped beside her said. The Witch then moved to take a space beside Yukina.  
  
“Don’t worry, I’ve just arrived too,” Snowy Sniper replied. She then summoned her own sniper rifle in a flick, signaling to the Witch that she’s ready for brawl. Yukina herself didn’t know about weaponry, Ako and Lisa only helped her choosing because the gun suited her - M39 marksman in bleak black color, completing her appearance of blackness. “You haven’t been online for long, busy again?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s been kind of busy days lately.” RinRin crossed her fingers on her lap. “School and piano lessons to do …”  
  
Ako ever said that the person behind RinRin is a high-school girl, just like most of them. Sayo asked whether she’s not one of those old man posing as a girl character for fun, and RinRin responded that she’s a bonafide girl -- though she still didn’t want to show herself to them because part shyness and that she’s busy.  
  
“I do want to hear you play,” Snowy Sniper suddenly suggested, RinRin shifted her hat to conceal her face in response. “… Since, when you’re talking about music with us, I can see your enthusiasm.”  
  
“It’s … my playing is not that good. I’m still much a beginner.” There was a shift of tone to more polite, unlike her relaxed one, or so Yukina thought. While virtual reality got you an input as how your brain tells you what to do, it feels different than hearing the usual face-to-face conversation. “And, well … it, it might a shame to hear me, I mean, your voice is … far greater.”  
  
Snowy Sniper smiled, “You’re exaggerating.”  
  
There’s a loud sound of bell coming from far east, followed by the announcement of next batch for arena event is open for registration. Usually, RinRin would be the one to link the event window to her and make a haste to teleport, but the Witch sits in silence.  
  
Yukina wondered if she said something wrong.  
  
“... Are you ready?” invited Snowy Sniper. She extended her gloved hand to the Witch’s. “Don’t you want to show Princess of Darkness that you gained another trophy?”  
  
A moment of pause later, RinRin took her hand and she nodded.  
  
Yukina clicked her floating interface once, tapped an option to form a party and then teleport request to the Opera of the Wasteland arena.  
  
“Umm, before we begin, can I ask for something, Snowy Sniper-san?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
The screen showed a countdown from five before teleportation commencing.  
  
Three. They are still looking at each other, gaze passing shyly.  
  
“Mind if I call you again tonight?”  
  
One.  
  
“Sure.”  
  


* * *

  
  
  
A few moment ago before RinRin broke to her long online MIA, she posed a strange request.  
  
It all started after Ako boasted in the game chat room while they are in dungeon that Yukina’s singing is the best (from a stage event Yukina had done prior at day). Then after their dungeon business had been taken care of, RinRin popped in a private chat asking for Yukina to record her singing voice.  
  
“Why don’t we call each other? The chat room in-game doesn’t have the voice note option.” was what Yukina said to her.  
  
Knowing the usual shy RinRin of real life interaction, Yukina thought RinRin might decline quickly, as she always done upon Ako’s or Lisa’s request to do meet-up. But then, after long wait of typing, RinRin said okay, and that she’d be the one who’ll call Yukina. Since Ako reprimanded that there’s no need to reveal each and others names, Yukina didn’t give her name when she texted RinRin of her phone number, telling her to call with the usual Snowy Sniper.  
  
While wondering of RinRin curiosity, Lisa and Sayo noted that it might be a good step for her to start some ‘real conversation’ and tell Yukina to take it slow and steady. Sayo partly wanted to know if RinRin is really a high school girl (again), but Lisa insisted for Yukina to handle it alone.  
  
Yukina made sure that the night is cleared from her homework or anything, just preparing for worst time this ‘RinRin’ might call and …  
  
Incoming call. The number displayed is not what in her contact book. Yukina slides the circle sign to green, “Hello?”  
  
Complete silence was what Yukina heard - it was almost as if the person by the other side of the phone wasn’t breathing. The lilac-haired girl had counted mentally before she turned off the call, blocked the number and chalked it up as a prank call … then she heard tiny, almost inaudible squeak.  
  
“Hello?” Yukina tried again.  
  
“Is-Is this …Snowy … S-Snowy Sniper-san?”  
  
Yukina didn’t expect such small, stuttering voice answering. It wasn’t a bad sounding tone; in fact, she liked it. This ‘RinRin’ is indeed someone shy.  
  
The realization of triumph made her forget to reply the ask, though.  
  
“Yeah, it’s me, Snowy Sniper.”  
  
“W, wow. Your voice is indeed … beautiful.” There’s just something at how her words spoken. A hint of politeness, a hint of carefulness - it’s like she’s a dignified person, or maybe she rarely talks to somebody of her age. Ah, how it fuels Yukina’s curiosity instead maybe answering hers. “Oh, s-sorry. I--I must be sounded like a creep …”  
  
Yukina chuckled, “It’s alright,” take it slow and steady. “You’re not a creep. Your voice is cute,” and there’s a yelp. “Umm, are you alright, RinRin-san?”  
  
“N-N-No! I’m, I’m okay. Uh, umm, sorry--”  
  
Take it slow and steady. Slow, and steady. Also, don’t laugh at her. “No need to apologize.”  
  
.  
.  
.  
  
The call went for another two minutes before RinRin said she should prepare for tomorrow, and Yukina close her phone with a smile on her face.  
  
What a strange phone call it was - and she ended up not asking Yukina to sing.  


* * *

  
  
That another two-minute long call was their second one. Tonight, Yukina ended the call because her father called her to downstairs. RinRin didn’t mind either way, though still with most of time stuttering than not.  
  
Their conversation flew okay, RinRin asked how Yukina’s day. Yukina replied slowly of her walk to see random gigs showed today after a little while doing vocal training in the empty studio room available for rent there. She was about to tell that she met Sayo and Lisa again today but that’s the end of it.  
  
Her father was sitting on the living room’s sofa, papers on his hand. Two cups of what Yukina thought as coffee were on the table. Her eyes quickly seek her mom who’s seem to wash dishes by the kitchen.  
  
“Yours is on the left,” he said. “Be careful not to drink the bitter one.”  
  
“Thank you, Dad.”  
  
Yukina took the spot across her father’s, on a smaller armchair. It’s when he put away her documents and started. Her father was a musician -- lead singer of his band, which lead Yukina to her indie singer hobby. Though he had long retired due to some problems, he still keep up in the road of music while being a teacher in a music school. He ever told Yukina whether Yukina wanted to get a vocal class there for free, but Yukina declined, saying that she’s happier to go solo just like now.  
  
“Are you free tomorrow, Yukina?”  
  
“I am,” the response gauged her father’s smile. “Do you need help on something in your class?”  
  
“Sharp as ever, I see.” he let out a crisp laughter. “There’s another teacher from classic department wanted to teach their students a different genre, tomorrow’s their test.”  
  
“Classical? But aren’t you more to a progressive rock, Dad?”  
  
“Indeed, which makes the students wield electric instruments sometimes when he wanted me to teach them some of my song genres, while they must focus on their usual classical ones. I don’t know what he’s thinking on making them taking another genre, maybe he aimed for something out of competition … that aside,” he cleared his throat. “I want you to help them with singing. They will be playing my old song, LOUDER,” that part made Yukina’s eyes widened. “You ever brought the song once when performing with Afterglow, right?”  
  
“Yes, but … why me accompanying them?”  
  
“Just another of that teacher’s whims. Saying that the instrumentalist should get used on following vocalists’ tempo -- while it makes the test harder,” he sighed. “It’s only three people in his class, it won’t take long. So, can you help me out?”  


* * *

  
An impromptu session with three different instruments, so Yukina surmised.  
  
Though, it sounded more burden to the instruments rather than to her … she should at least help the students so they won’t get worst marks because the tempo is falling off. Her dad told that the said teacher is indeed monster one with weird quirks, but he’s the one producing a lot of students with skills able to make it through several prefecture competitions.  
  
Yukina wanted to talk to them for asking how they played but she quickly called to the side of the room instead in the same room as the said test students for a bit of briefing.  
  
Turned out, it’s not a session with three different classical instruments, the students are pianists and they have been drilled to the song arrangement over past weeks.  
  
The lilac-haired singer tuned out most of the teacher’s explanation--especially how his students are talented and this-that-whatnots--and asking whether she could meet the students before the test being held.  
  
Yukina wondered if it will be the same as helping others between their gigs, she expected the students to be friendly. She then entered the room by the next after the teachers are in.  
  
A black grand piano have been prepared by the room front. A mic was there too, her father said he already got it ready, but Yukina still wanted to check it. The classroom is void of chairs and tables, as it being stacked to the far back, leaving enough seats and tables for the scoring teachers. The said three students who wanted to take the test were sitting by the right side of where the exit door is.  
  
The three were sitting, eyes cast down; their respective uniform looking neat but not their mood - it was devastating to see.  
  
“Shall we begin?” one of the teacher said. Yukina drawn her sight away from the bleak-looking students and to seek the mic. “First, Shirokane-san. The other two might dismiss to the back room.”  
  
Yukina turned to see the girl by long black hair stood up from her seat, while the other two girls scurried away from sight. Her eyes still downcast, she keep holding to her other wrists as she walked to take the piano side.  
  
Though ‘Shirokane’ … it seem like Yukina ever heard the name before.  
  
One of the teacher asked Shirokane-san to test the piano before they started. The said pianist didn’t speak a word, thought that she’d be nervous whether she might fail or something. After all, he put much pressure to his students - that much can be seen through how terrified they are looked.  
  
“Are you ready, Shirokane-san?” Yukina managed to ask.  
  
It’s the first time Yukina saw those eyes, those dark purple irises looking through her upon Yukina’s calling. The singer spared a little head tilt to see this ‘Shirokane-san’ was gazing at her as if looking to a ghost, mouth agape and eyes wide.  
  
All the pianist done is to nod, she ignored more of Yukina’s eyes as she set her fingers to the keys.  
  
“I’m sure you’ll be able to pull this, Shirokane-san. You won’t shame on your prefectural win!” so the boring teacher said, adding more to Yukina’s irritation.  
  
The ‘prefectural win’ mention, though, so this person should be a famous pianist who won the title not long ago, just like how her father said about his students being the top.  
  
Yukina should help her, at least for her to not get strayed by tempo.  
  
“LOUDER.” she did a title call, and the flurry of piano tunes started.  
  
Her father did say since there would be no guitar accompanying like the original one, everything will be done by the piano. Although, never she would expect it become intense. All Yukina could do is keep singing, there’s no time for her to be in awe with how the tones are delivered - how powerful the keys are sounding while it’s been dancing with fast-ridden tempo.  
  
\--No, she shouldn’t be the one who’s being swept away; she should keep it on the track.  
  
.  
.  
.  
  
[ This sensation of being carried by the tides, it was similar at that time when-- ]  
  
.  
  
What Yukina was thinking while singing is to accompany the piano, nothing more and nothing less - she only noticed that the teachers were clapping to them some time after the last note being pressed.  
  
The vocalist heaved her longest sigh after singing. It wasn’t a sigh of tiredness, instead, it was a sigh of amusement.  
  
The ride - it was awesome. It’s the first time she ever accompanied only a piano during her singing journey, it was-  
  
“It … It was great.” Yukina voiced reflexively. She then faced the grand piano to find the pianist still there, catching her breath. “You’re a talented pianist, Shirokane-san, you’re …”  
  
Shirokane-san looked up with a red face, she tried to smile and swiftly left, not bothering to let Yukina finish her sentence.


	2. cinderella_syndrome

Initializing -- _RinRin_    
Place. Heaven Terrace H-044.

< Login Successful. Welcome to _ _Heaven Banisher Online__.  >

< You’re in incognito mode. To revert back your online status, please click … >

.

 

Usually, when there’s a little free time, be it only two hours in the day, Shirokane Rinko will find herself logging in for her favorite VRMMORPG and started side quests. After what happened through the weekend, however, the raven-haired girl found herself staring on the HBO interface rather than playing. Her eyes would shy away from the notifications and logs, especially when a certain name is online.

“Snowy … Sniper-san …” Rinko murmured the username by the friend roster. It said the said person’s online time was 1 hour ago, meaning Rinko has been doing nothing during the time span when she wanted to logged in. “No … Minato Yukina-san …”

‘Minato Yukina’ is the real name behind the sniper-class character in her circle of friends. Ever since Princess of Darkness said that Snowy Sniper got a good voice, Rinko couldn’t contain her curiosity. It’s true that their circle is getting close because they talked a lot about music aside game-related events, but to know someone has a ‘good voice’ … it’s different than knowing someone who can ‘play an instrument’. Someone’s voice is special only for their own -- which makes it interesting to know what kind of voice’s color one is having.

“Why … why am I being nervous? It … it’s not like we’ll meet again …”

Indeed, it’s only one-shot from her music teacher to seek on a vocalist for companion.

Her memory drifted to the moment after the rehearsal; the one where she ran for her life before the singer finished talking. It’s highly unlikely Yukina would know her name, her real name, in such short encounter.

There are lots of pianist. There are lots of ‘shy person’. There are lots of online game players in town.

Rinko might only hear the voice by phone twice and there’s no proof that it’s __really__ her. Upon hearing the lilac-haired girl talking to her by the recital time, and that she sang a song, Rinko knew that she won’t be mistaken.

“It’s … just like how Princess of Darkness said … about her voice … it’s … it’s beautiful.”

Even ‘beautiful’ can be an understatement; Yukina should be learning from her father -- a vocal and guitar teacher by the music school. She seem to have her own ‘character’ with how she sings already by seeing her confidence. Her stature might be small, as Rinko watched her back when performing, but her figure is straight, not faltering while she focused her everything to voice her emotion throughout the song. 

\--Their encounter, it was as if a miracle has happened.

“But I’m … I’m too nervous …” Rinko recited again. “It’s, it will be easy to find her again … she is, she is … Minato-sensei’s daughter, right? I think Sensei said so before we come inside the test room …”

The straight lilac hair; the good posture when Yukina sings; the absolute look of enjoyment after she put her finisher--

\--No. Rinko. You’re not even confident to meet your long online game friend Princess of Darkness-chan, why bother reaching for the impossible?

“Why … why I wanted to see her again?”

A private message pop shook her from her reverie. **_**_Princess of Darkness_**_** _ _sent you a mail__ , so the headline said above the menu buttons. Rinko clicked on the window and let the other finished typing.

[ ****Princess of Darkness:****  RinRin! Are you online now? ]

[ __Princess of Darkness is typing …__ ]

[ ** **Princess of Darkness:**** I guess not, huh … I want to ask you about the PK event tomorrow. Will you come?]

Rinko seek the calendar by the end of her desktop window. Tomorrow’s Sunday -- and she had no music class scheduled.

[ ****Princess of Darkness:**** NightSun-san is busy, but Chikuzenni and Snowy Sniper can make some time tomorrow! What do you say, RinRin? (evil emote) ]

[ ****Princess of Darkness:**** It’ll be exciting to play PK event again with everyone! ]

What Princess of Darkness had meant with PK event is kind of team battle where you have to kill another player to win. The difference of this event with Opera of The Wasteland raid is the fact it’s time limited, which is like ‘first registered, first serve’ type. The registration timeline would be around 3 hours before the event started. After registering, the player would be placed in one waiting safe house one hour before the event started. It’s the only time for the team to form strategies and such.

[ ** **Princess of Darkness:**** O, rite! But we can only take the one hour battle room in the morning. Snowy Sniper-san said she got some singing to do around afternoon … ]

That point urged Rinko to quickly type and inquire more, but she’s in incognito mode now and she won’t let the person now Rinko is reading the mail.

[ ****Princess of Darkness:**** Uuu, I do want to continue the event with you but I, too, checking the equipment in back stage when she is performing~ ]

 _ _Backstage?__ Rinko didn’t remember the city got an outdoor stage event, so to speak. Though, she didn’t recall there’s one place where anyone sing … wait.

[ __RinRin is typing …__  ]

[ ****Princess of Darkness: EH!? YOU’RE ONLINE!? ]****

[ ****RinRin:**** Are you doing a live on a live house or something? ]

 

* * *

 

“Lisa-nee, can I ask you something?” 

Lisa popped her lips away from sipping her straw of strawberry smoothie. “Is it about Yukina?” 

“H-How do you know?”

“Well,” Lisa pushed her cup, then gazed to the lilac-haired girl sitting beside her whom staying idle. Even though Ako speak in low voice and that Yukina wore earbuds, Lisa was sure their distance there by the same small round table outside the Circle studio makes Ako’s question audible to Yukina. The said singer paid no mind though, rather, her gaze is empty, and whatever she’s listening is there on her ears.

“I think it’s strange if people didn’t come to ask, she has been like this since last weekend.”

“Eh? Last weekend?”

Ako paused. If she remembered correctly, the last time Ako, Sayo and Yukina met is before Afterglow gigs around Wednesday last week. Usually, there would be a gigs performed by random indie bands almost everyday but Sayo is not seen to be coming today. Ako happened to be nearby hanging around with Afterglow as usual. When she spotted Lisa and Yukina, she would always approach them and say hello.

Well, for today, Ako promised to help Yukina with backstage setting, as well as Yukina helping Afterglow back with a few duet songs later.

Lisa nodded. “Yup, I think she got a lot in mind and ended spacing out a lot,” the brunette attempted to shake Yukina. “Oi, Yukina. Ako’s here~”

Yukina spared a glance to seek Ako’s confused blinks. It’s still empty -- the usual shining golden eyes of Minato Yukina is a bit dimmed, but not posing a hostility toward her or Lisa. Ako clammed up, unsure at what to say since her usually cheerful vigor might irritate the plain-looking Yukina more (she ever tried).

Yukina took off her headphones and she tried to smile a bit as a form of greeting.

“What are you listening to, Yukina-san?” Ako asked.

“Just a singing performance I did last weekend with dad’s students …” Yukina trailed off. “Right, Ako, do you or maybe the Afterglow’s keyboardist know about the prefectural classical piano competition?”

Ako rolled her eyes, “Huh? Hmm, I don’t think Tsugu-chin might know anything …” the one she referred as ‘Tsugu-chin’ is Afterglow’s keyboardist, Hazawa Tsugumi. As Yukina said about ‘classical piano competition’, it seems important. “Want me to get Tsugu-chin here?”

“No, it’s okay. Thank you, Ako.”

Yukina turned her sights back at the recording again. Her father happened to record all of the performance by that day because she wanted to know how the students’ are faring. Since Ako didn’t pursue the matter any longer, Yukina indulged herself to the tunes, and click the play button for nth time of the day.

.

 

It’s like Cinderella leaving a glass shoes on the staircase by the ball’s entrance - the pianist left her an unforgotten tunes to relish, yet, there’s no way available to find the owner of this impressive tunes that left her agape.

 

.

 

“By the way, what do you think of PK event just now?” Yukina took off her earbuds to finally hear the conversation.

Speaking of PK, the three of them joined one of battles just a few hours ago. She could be indifferent during the time and lessen Lisa’s worry over her being spacing out or something. Her kill count is not as big as usual, it’s not something to fuss about since her role is mainly helping the vanguard’s back during hunt. As per usual, RinRin will hide the other two in her veil of invisibility while she take cover somewhere armed. Their enemies were not under-leveled, yet it’s easy to ambush them because of the map’s terrain of rocky mountain areas.

“RinRin sure is great PK, I’m always awed when she strike the melee players easily~” Lisa added to Ako’s nod of excitement.

“Right~? It’s like, she counted time well during her magic casting and to unleash it. RinRin is so cool!”

“... I’ve been asking this a lot but, is killing another player like that is fun?”

Hearing Yukina suddenly ask, it throws Ako out of the loop. Ako is the one introduced them to this ‘RinRin’ she asked to help away from her strange behavior and awkward social interaction motive. RinRin also known for a good Player Killer. Knowing her gentle, sweet voice by the phone call, Yukina couldn’t help to think there’s so many contradictions in RinRin’s personality. Like, you can be sure she’s outright shy, but she … killed others (in-game) as if she enjoyed it?

“Well about RinRin … I do think she got a great concentration over doing some stuff, Onee-chan ever say so to me when seeing me playing. She is good with casting magic, she’s good and precise at equipment crafting …” Ako tried to answer. “HBO is not essentially a place to show off that you can PK … err how to say it, I think she’s doing it because it’s what to do mostly in-game?”

“That so.”

The lilac-haired girl was partly not satisfied by such answer, but she gave in to the idea of this online person is ‘having a good concentration’ and ‘doing things because it is needed’.

“Come on, Yukina. RinRin is also passionate about music, right? There’s no way she’s a bad person~” Lisa pointed out. “Also, you ever called her, nee? Isn’t she a sweetheart, by her voice--”

“Lisa, stop it.” Yukina scoffed, in which Lisa only spared a giggle. The brunette is the only one who knows about the story behind little phone calls - leaving Ako dumbfounded. The singer glanced on her wristwatch, the time of her performance is nigh. “Let’s go get ready; my performance time will be soon.”

“O~kay!”

 

* * *

 

“I’m sorry that we strayed off the topic, but I’m glad that we’re having the same conclusion over the class’ planning.” 

That Sunday afternoon, the appointment almost slipped Rinko’s mind that she got a class meeting. There will be a festival being held by the Hanasakigawa high--the school that Rinko attended--in one month countdown. While she’s not being in any committee in her class, somebody just pointed that she could help with sewing cloths for uniforms. And so after further persuasion, Rinko is willing to help, but she asked the class rep to tell about details since Rinko is busy with piano recital at times.

Hikawa Sayo has been thorough to tell Rinko everything; how her class argued over Western or Japanese-styled cafe, or to make it a haunted house, or defied everything and created a fortune-telling booth … to smaller stuff like some girls preferred cute than cool themes for their class’ basis idea. Rinko was not sure at first to ask scary-looking and strict Hikawa-san to her home, afraid she’d be yelled at or said as being irresponsible. Turned out, Sayo is kind; she got this soft tone when she explained bits by bits, even asking a few times whether Rinko needed to stop and review.

“You’re … great, Hikawa-san. I’m, I can’t thank you enough for doing all this to me …”

“I should be the one thanking you; you’ve been wanting to help the class while you’re busy,” Sayo smiled. “How’s your competition going? You seem to be having a lot of it recently, I rarely see you in the class.”

Rinko nodded, a bit glumly to add. It has been tiring to follow the competition trail one to another, though, she had to do it. Piano playing is something that accompanied her solitary life since forever, after all.

“... If you don’t have anymore question, I’ll be going.” Sayo gathered her notes and other belongings.

It’s when Rinko noticed Sayo got a guitar case with her as she’s going to the living room to get her bag.

“Hikawa-san … a-are you playing … guitar?”

“Kind of. I’m just a soloist, though.” Sayo answered. “I usually play in the Circle’s live studio when I’m not busy with Disciplinary Committee’s work,” something clicked on Rinko’s mind. “The indie high school bands there are pretty good, must I say. Maybe you’ll be interested to watch some time too, Shirokane-san?”

Rinko’s response is only to look at her feet. __The live studio, Princess of Darkness and Snowy Sniper should be there now. The Snowy Sniper will be singing. She could watch from afar. She could--__

“Oh, umm. Guess it’s not your kind of thing, huh. Bands are mostly non-classical instruments. Sorry about that.” Sayo quickly continued. She eased the weight of her guitar case to her back before she bowed. “I’ll … take my leave. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

.

.

.

 

Sayo was about to turn on her heels, thinking she would still make time if she’s running to listen on Yukina’s usual performance, when the timid raven-haired girl stopped her with a strangely loud, determined voice.

“C-C-Can you take me there?”


	3. enter_bravery:fault

Rinko had expected the live studio to be crowded. She was sure she has prepared herself beforehand, but her will shrunk to zero when seeing sea of people gathering inside the building, facing the stage. Sayo noticed this, she thought, as her expression morphed from small smile to an apologetic one. 

“Are you okay, Shirokane-san? Your face is blue.”

 _ _No, she must be here to see her -- to see Yukina.__ Rinko shook her head upon Sayo’s concerned question.

Rinko stayed close to Sayo, make sure she could see her within arm reach. She’s hearing idle chatters.

 _ _“Yukina’s performance was as great as ever.”__ some chirped. A little pang of sadness filled her heart. So she must’ve been late. Though, she is already in the middle of the crowds, she’s unable to go out now unless she asked Sayo to help. The turquoise-haired girl was being kind to take her there, however. It would be pretty rude to ask her to back down now when they were just barely arrived.

“The next should be … Afterglow, then.” Sayo murmured after examining the stage layout.

“After … glow?”

 _ _“__ It’s a good band; they might be young, but their passion and improvement from time to time are something shouldn’t be turned blind eye to,” the guitarist explained, arms folded as she seem to be reminiscing. “At times, my friend would help with … oh, here they are.”

The crowd cheered upon the lighted stage. Five girls entered and got their respective instruments. From her distance, Rinko can only make out the vocalist’s figure, the black-haired one in bob cut taking in her red guitar for everyone to acknowledge. Audience began chanting the band’s glorious name, Afterglow, and there are even collective squeals mentioning one of the personnel’s name -- the drummer, maybe, since the tall redhead grinned to the squealing girls there. The Afterglow members were wearing something Rinko can deduce to be signature hooded jacket, silver accessories and boots.

"Good evening, we’re Afterglow." The vocalist introduced. Her facade is kept flat. "Tonight, we’ll be starting with a song that everyone’s already familiar with."

The audience started to buzz in unison, there are also some of them yelling random song’s name. Sayo, who’s standing beside her was glued to watch, it’s as if she waited for something to happen.

"I’m asking my senpai, Minato-san, to sing with me for this song," the crowd goes wild. There, Rinko felt her breath halted. Though, the stage lamps suddenly dimmed, leaving single lamp by the far right side of the stage lit as someone else joined. " _ _Asu no Yozora Shoukaihan__."

Yukina dressed differently from the rest of band when she occupied the space beside Ran with her mic, creating a contrast with her cream dress shirt and purple skirt. Rinko recalled her butterfly hair clip from that time is still there. Although, Rinko was lost in the song as the two vocalists blasted the studio with their strong vocals.

[ The voice that she enjoyed; it’s near, yet it feels far. ]

Only after the song ended, Rinko finally remember that she’s sandwiched in the crowd and back to her uncomfortable mode. The band up on the stage proceeded with a little conversation between Yukina and Afterglow’s vocalist, before Yukina said her farewell to the audience and disappeared.

It was truly different than when seeing Yukina from her back. From the glimpse of her back, Rinko could feel her determination; how she’s been meaning to stand tall through the obstacle as she sings her heart out, how she wanted to keep the lead steady till the end, also how she entrusted herself to her peers accompanying her. Seeing by the front, you’ll get a glimpse of her eyes, how it is emotional because of the song itself and the emotion which added more power to it. Yukina didn’t have that much of exaggerated body language as she sings; her iron grip on the mic and the way she bended herself occasionally to the staggering tempo has been enough.

“... Shirokane-san?”

“O-Oh, umm, yes?” Rinko was jumpy as Sayo tapped on her shoulder.

“After this, I’d like to meet my friend--the singer--at backstage, want to come with me?”

Rinko’s mind went blank. __Meeting up with Yukina, she said?__  No, of course not -- she’s only wanting to come hear to listen, not to have her identity unmasked. Being in the unruly crowd already an extreme challenge to her, talking with Yukina would only make her fainted.

On the stage, the cue of next song is nigh, Yukina is the one leading up the band while the black-haired lead singer stepped aside from the mic.

“Next up, __Re:birth day__.”

“I’ll, I’ll g-go … home, Hikawa-san. Thank you for t-taking me here to see this.”

Sayo’s expression softened, despite asking her why in such hurry. Rinko couldn’t be more than grateful for it.

 

* * *

 

As someone who’s been long walking with music, falling in love to a particular voice or instruments are not something new. It would be different to commoner since they will comment on objectively or in abstract way like ‘I loved the tone’ or ‘I find the voice amusing’, kind of comments. A performer might see how the voice benefit them, and see it in more subjective way to the point on giving a criticism.

Now, however, Rinko taken on the ‘commoner’ side; wanting to loop the song forever, wanting to recall the feeling as it is played at any times she can.

Her music teacher said that Minato-sensei recorded the clip when Yukina sang with their accompanying piano. The teacher sent the recordings to them at later date so that they would use it for a learning purpose. True, Rinko played and replayed it almost everyday, but none of it is aligned to the ‘learning purpose’.

“The song is called … LOUDER … right …”

Rinko set off her headphones and went to her piano. The score from that test day remained there -- the unchanging LOUDER. At first, Rinko found it difficult to play since the song had lots of keys, also it is leaning to non-classical music pace. Knowing her music teacher is sparta on his approach, as a student, Rinko couldn’t help but to train per usual. Maybe, if maybe that day she never heard Yukina sang to the song, she won’t have a heart to see the score and play it again.

__BEEP. BEEP.  
_ _

A notification from her PC distracted her away from hitting keys. It was a familiar beeping from HBO notifications, she didn’t take another seconds to think where to check.

 _ _< __**_**_Snowy Sniper_**_** _ _invited you to__ Killer Vaganza __limited brawl. Click here to join. >__

__

__._ _

__._ _

__._ _

__

As it takes quite long for RinRin to accept her invitation, Yukina thought she’s busy again. The countdown limit for party invitation is five minutes. It will tell you whether the person you seek is online or not, so you can’t send an invitation to an offline player. It’s by her whim that she saw RinRin is online, then she wanted to play together.

Killer Vaganza is seasonal limited event with solo mode or co-op mode. The mission is to annihilate as many devils as possible and aim toward the end of themed maze. Yukina waited idly at the lobby by tower basement, checking the online notice at times to know if RinRin accepted the request. There are several passerby asking for Yukina to join them, as sniper class is favorable if the map generated dense forest area. The sniper declined, of course; she only sat by the log at the base of tree and feigned concentration over her sniper rifle.

“... Snowy Sniper-san.”

Someone hovered above her, Yukina looked up from her sitting position when RinRin unveiled her invisibility cloak. She caught a glimpse of smile by the crow mask and she smiled back.

“Are you busy? If yes, sorry to bother you.”

“Not really,” RinRin shook her head. The witch helped the sniper on her feet and they started to walk at the tower’s inner entrance gate. “By the way, aren’t Chikuzenni and NightSun online? Why they don’t go with us to this Killer Vaganza?”

At the mention of that two name, Yukina was chuckling. It instantly rewarded by RinRin’s crook of brow and a questioning, “What happened?”

“There’s a new Upper Sky attraction where you can borrow [Angel Wings] to fly for an hour, right?” RinRin nodded at the mention. In game, there’s some of great VR experience eventing unrelated to main battles. “They are having … what can you say as sky date.”

RinRin automatically nodded again before her face suddenly went red. There, Yukina only cocked her head at such response.

“D-Date? They are … dating?”

“Well, yeah? They didn’t say it to me, but I think it’s quite … obvious? Even … Princess of Darkness got the hint.” Seeing RinRin is still gaping like a fish, Yukina tried on explaining in more elaborate matter. “Like, do you remember that time when we cancelled one of Opera of The Wasteland raid? They were … somewhere, enjoying the sunset falling and fireworks by the Beach 002.”

RinRin seem to be slow on uptake, as she kept her widened eyes still. Yukina waited patiently until RinRin’s face is red again. Now the sniper wondered how sensitive is VR machine to portray how the player by the other side of helmet feeling - the witch’s cheek flushed a bit  too red. Beach 002 is said to be popular dating spot, too, an old player like the witch must understand.

After long-composed awkward silence, RinRin spoke up, adjusting her rim of hat down to hide her reddened face. "I, I see …" Yukina found it cute. "Are they … married?"

It’s the turn Yukina taken aback, "What!?"

"Oh, I mean. In this game, there’s marriage system …" RinRin blinked. "O-Or they are really married in real life--"

"Of, Of course not," Yukina wasn’t sure RinRin is joking or something. Anyway, she faked coughing to conceal her strained tone. She shouldn’t be looking startled. "Marriage system, huh?"

"Yup. It’s like, you’ll need to have a special item called [White Feather]. The game will get you a special home for the couple and boosted stats also limited rare inventory items for forging according to the pair’s classes," as usual, RinRin would be the one to explain game mechanics. What Yukina can do is to spare an undivided attention. "Though since there have been cases of fake marriage due to stat boosting and all, there are more requirements now; like to prove your intimacy by the number of succesful co-ops or stages, also maybe by exchanging the specialized rings with it."

"That sounds complicated." said Yukina.  _Not like marriage in real life is easy._ "What is specialized rings?"

"We can get specialized rings by random drop in this Killer Vaganza stage for example." RinRin showed the sniper a pop up menu. It said ‘Killer Vaganza - Current Drop’, the witch then scrolled to the list of rare drops. The ring is having a silver-ish, close to white color as it is not shining boldly. Its main body looked like a string of twig, with two butterflies flocked on the top.

* * *

[ ****Grave of Butterflies**** ; *6 type: Ring ]  
Description: __A ring once used before the Divine Convergence by Devils to seal an oath between two people. This ring has been sealed away due to its curse (see the Story of Fallen, pt. XX).__   _ _Equipping this will grant boosted Ice ATK and wired teleportation skill.__

* * *

 

"Since the drop is limited to one pair during a stage of Vaganza, it is said to be enough for marriage requirement item. Maybe you can recommend Chikuzenni and NightSun to get it." 

"But aren’t we will be the one who is getting this?"

The sniper blurted, only for another fraction of minutes she realized why RinRin suddenly draws her gaze away again.

"I, I mean! We … it, it’s not like we’ll marry!" she quickly added. "It’s only a rare drop too, little chance."

Yukina trailed off. She caught a glimpse of RinRin’s shoulder drooping but commented on nothing. The intercom by the lounge announced that the Killer Vaganza will begin shortly and for the players who have registered to prepare by the last three minutes and enter the elevator. __It’s time.__

"Snowy Sniper-san?"

"Yes?"

"If we happened to get the rings, would you hear on another selfish request of mine?"


	4. butterfly_effect

_What am I thinking!?_  -- is what have been in Rinko’s mind since they stepped in the elevator.

The atmosphere is not exactly tense around them, also Snowy Sniper agreed to her terms. They were in a stagnant state with no one bothered to speak or move. The elevator ride taking long, as it is depending on the server’s speed.

 _ _Selfish request.__ RinRin recited in her mind. It’s words she blurted out of blue, but she didn’t know what she wanted to ‘request’ on if it becoming reality. Perhaps she was provoked by the mention of marriage system and how Snowy Sniper-san seem to dislike the idea. Thinking about it again, why must she be? They were not even close to begin with in-game and they never meet. Unlike Princess of Darkness who seem to be acquainted with her in real life, or she’s like Chikuzenni who’s outgoing -- ‘Shirokane Rinko’ or ‘RinRin’ is a complete nobody. Maybe, maybe they are just an ‘online game buddy’, there’s nothing more than it. She might be a distant fan of Yukina’s voice, she might be ever play music together, she might be talking about music often but - no, Rinko is no one to Yukina.

The elevator ride come to a halt. The large door opened to them at the sight of what they can conclude as a dessert and collective ruins of building, ranging from the big and tall ones to little rocks. There are plenty places to hide for sniper, which seem convenient.

“... It’s strange, it feels empty.” RinRin suddenly said. Snowy Sniper whom already cocking her gun stopped walking.

“What do you mean?”

RinRin moved to corner a nearby part of wall, she checked left and right, and to the way going below. The radar didn’t get a sight of enemies.

“Usually, there would already be zombies swarming near entrance.” the witch mumbled. “Don’t tell me, it’s …”

The Sniper wanted to ask, when RinRin jumped to her way, triggering her coat of invisibility as something exploded from nearby ground. They practically rolled on the sand but fortunately, they missed the explosion’s impact. The sniper only noticed as she tried to get up, RinRin had her invisible coat draped, making them practically sandwiched in cramped space with her on the bottom.

“... Don’t talk. Someone’s coming.” RinRin alerted. She closed the sniper’s lips with her gloved hand.

By the cue, two people dressed like a swordsman class--with their cape and thick armor--walked in to check the what supposed to be bomb site earlier. RinRin noticed the emblem by the armor’s torso. The two men were talking about the bomb being triggered but no one’s nearby. One of the guy with black spiky hair urged them to split up and search whoever it is walking on the bomb.

After their figure disappeared, RinRin get off from the sniper and undo her cape.

“Who … are they?”

The witch helped the sniper back on her feet, “Prairie’s Wolves, one of famous PK guild.” she then walked past Snowy Sniper, guiding her with their hand entwined. “I think it will be better if we get in the bunker below here to talk, they might come by this area again.”

__The road leading below, it should be a bunker._ _

“Won’t we be detected by their radar?”

“No, the only one radar might catch is zombies. That’s why they planted bomb -- the sound is enough indication that someone is stepping on it.” RinRin explained. “The first floor usually is not a large map … maybe there are only a few of the guild members present.”

RinRin led the sniper by the sandy path, turned out there’s a hole to something looked like a big steel entrance. The witch chanted something as she tried to disarm the door. Beyond the huge steel door, lies a staircase leading further below. There are someplace like bunker or ‘safe house’ in map at times to hide from swarm of enemies when the player is wounded. These kind of places is a good thing to find if players are low in HP or out of items.

The witch flicked her finger once, lit up a little fire magic to light the way. Despite the ominous feeling the ‘bunker’ gives, it’s pretty shallow and small. What greeted them as they arrived at the base, is only a dusted table and dusted rack filled with unused items.

Now, to figure out how to get away from this condition.

“Why are there a PK here? Isn’t this only a zombie killing kind of map?” the sniper asked; which is, a very good question.

“Before this game becoming what we’ve got now, HBO is only a ruthless game while you got to kill anyone thinking they are ‘devil incarnate’. Basically, it was a PK-savvy ground.” the witch tried to explain. “Prairie Wolves is … one of the group who disliked these new rules.”

The sniper looks surprised. Guess she wasn’t searching into the game before playing.

“... Umm, so, they sometimes would take over the map and killing newbies as to scare them away.” RinRin looked up to see the sniper and her character detail window. “But you’re a level 40, and here I am a level 77. Maybe they already dispose of those newbies and thinking anyone who’s coming by is another newbie.”

The sniper folded her arms, nodding vehemently at the explanation. Snowy Sniper-san is always the one who’ll stop and hear her rambling before stating her own questions or what disturbed her.

“You seem awfully knowledgeable with them, RinRin.”

 _ _And she’s also the one who’s having that quick-witted nature.__ “Well, I-I was … one of them.” she gripped the hem of her sleeves as she admitted. RinRin spared an awkward chuckle. “Sorry.”

“What are you sorry for? You were no longer a part of them,” said the sniper.

“Didn’t you say that you dislike player killers?” RinRin replied. She remembered that time when Princess of Darkness dragged them there and how Snowy Sniper commented about PK’s being a childish move.

“I did,” it left a little tug on her heart no matter how many times she heard it. RinRin didn’t bother to look straight at the sniper, thinking she must have had a scornful look on her. “But … you’re not that kind of PK I hated.”

“--Huh?”

“I do think you have your reason. I mean,” there was a pause, an awkward one. “You’re a good person by how you played with us. I don’t think anyone like you might be such mindless who’s doing PK for fun or fame.”

The witch was in loss of words. __This feeling of trust - it was familiar. It’s the same when they played the song together; both strangers who’s bind for only a mere five minutes of the song’s length.__

“Moving on, do you have any plan for us taking them down?”

 

* * *

 

 

After they grasped the map outline of the area, they found a center area, with the building still intact. It’s an abandoned castle of stone bricks on the dessert, right in front of an oasis of fresh water. With the help of the sniper’s telescopic sight, they spotted three swordsman by the elevator leading to next floor, seemingly guarding the area -- it’s the black spiky guy again and the blonde, the last one being with helmet.

Snowy Sniper is tasked to get the highest area as possible there while not being detected. After avoiding few bombs planted by the walls, the sniper set up her equipment and told her witch partner to hatch the plan.

It’s almost strange that Yukina find herself trusting on someone she never met--she still think it up until now. The original goal is for them to help Ako’s friend out of her shell, but then, there’s not much for them to do because ‘RinRin’ is a shy person. They can only interact in-game; well, they have exchanged two phone calls already, there’s not much option to go beyond it.

Speaking of trust, this kind of conversation takes Yukina back when she’s helping a stranger to pass her exam. ‘Shirokane-san’ with a strong vibes over her piano playing - someone she wanted to meet again but the one she would never be anymore. It’s as if everything clicked on the place, and Yukina had fun with her singing while she’s accompanying, that length of trust.

She didn’t care if RinRin was a ruthless PK; Yukina already know that she’s a gentle person, that’s enough line of reasoning.

 _ _This is now or never kind of plan, though.__ The sniper swallowed her thoughts back to oblivion of her mind; she needed to focus now. They communicated through mails to avoid being detected, and RinRin would tell if she’s in her position already.

Yukina slipped her hand to reach her pocket to find an item RinRIn gave her just a moment ago.  
  


* * *

 

 ** **Wings of Icarus****  x1  
Description: Cylindrical tube made out of rare bird’s feathers. Click to open.

* * *

 

 

 _ _Do open it if our plan is not going smoothly.__  So RinRin asked her. Usually, RinRin’s plan flow smoothly, but this time, the witch gave her this item that seem to harbor a secret within.

The plan is to shoot the most unarmed one from the three after RinRin got into her position, then the witch will kill the remaining two. The position the witch is talking about is on the center from the three; the witch sneaked in with her invisibility robe on.

“Now.”

Yukina fired a shot to the blonde. As it scored a headshot, RinRin unmasked herself and stabbed the black-haired guy with her knife. The helmet guy was startled to get on his position. He summoned her blade from her waist. Yukina intercepted to disarm him with another shot. The witch then did her signature move, a magic shot from close range to his head, leaving the helmet exploded.

The witch jumped away from her second kill, however, the unexpected is happening.

The sniper about to jump down to greet RinRin away from their succeeded plan, when the abandoned castle suddenly shook violently and the radar read up a spike of multiple bombs.

And the castle was on fire.

 

* * *

 

 

As the technology evolved, VR games is imbued with more ‘reality’ packed in it. 

For example, if the player character is falling from heights, or being stabbed, the element of pain is registered on the brain. There’s also more option to feel textures through touching or to sense the heat or cold, but the system has yet to develop more to use the very five senses of body into play.

If there’s too much sensation at once, the machine will automatically trigger paralysis effect as to secure the player from brain relapse. It’s similar to emergency shut down, and it will last for awhile until the overload dissipated.

Rinko thinks that was what happened to her, as she only recall - albeit faintly - the moment of explosion around her. She feels like she has been doing a nap, everything turned black after the sea of light and scatter of fire. After the numbness that she experienced everywhere, she finally recalled something important.

__Snowy Sniper-san!_ _

Rinko tried to reach out, but she didn’t catch anything in particular. Her sights are still pretty much in darkness.

 _ _Or did she taken to somewhere like, hospital?__  Of course, her line of thoughts are not answered.

She finally feel something soft on her head, as if she’s resting on her pillow back home. VR players usually play their game while lying down on bed, but the sensation of real world would be gone as the game goes on. Maybe it’s right that she’s in hospital, or just somewhere-

When Rinko opened her eyes, it’s still a blue sky from HBO hovering atop her. Her fingers traced to the ground, it’s no longer the sandy area but a grassland - one that might smelled like fresh garden. There’s still no answer to the softness over her head, also she’s unable to speak yet.

A sight of someone in dark blue hair, but void of her fedora.

“You’re awake.”

Huh.

-It finally hit the witch of what she’s sleeping on.

“Sorry, but they said for us to wait until they accessed the problem, we can’t log out yet.” the sniper explained. RinRin can see the shine on her eyes now as the fedora is not in the way … and so her usual crow mask. Guess she removed it. “I … sorry, I guess I was freaked out there and I almost forgot your message.”

 _ _Message?__  The sniper opened her palm to an opened cylinder tube void of wings. __Right, I said to her for keeping it in case of something happened.__

“So it is an emergency teleport device, huh? You told me to escape alone when things gone awry,” her tone is a bit chiding, not like she’s angry. Those eyes are softened, perhaps the sniper telling her ‘not to let me escape alone’. “Since your … body? Is not automatically logged out by the explosion, I think I should report this to the authorities, and here we are.”

RinRin tried to open her mouth to speak, “… Here?”

“False Eden Garden, staff said. The top of the tower. It’s only a peaceful grassland with not much of things to see, though.”

Rinko asked if the sniper allowed her to sit up. Though her brows creased in worry, she reluctantly allowed as Rinko said she’s okay.

They are sitting below the only available tree there, sticking out by the empty grass garden of nothing.

“The staff told us to wait?”

“Yeah, they would process those guys for banning. They asked me for eyewitness testimony and all, also they told me to wait because it seems you’re undergoing a brain paralysis and not logged out …” there, her shoulders droop again, plainly worried. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Don’t worry about it, Snowy Sniper-san, I’m fine.”

“Tell me if you want to lie down again, I’m--”

“N-No! It’s totally alright! I’m, I’m perfectly okay now!” she felt her blood rushing to her cheek, though. __That soft lap__ , __oh how VR technology is something to curse because she’s able to linger on such sensation__.

There’s silence again. Rinko glanced on her HP bar to see it slowly refilled from red zone, and back to Snowy Sniper who’s resting her back on the tree trunk. Faintly on the distance, the voice of bird chirping could be heard. The meadow is slowly filled with life as butterflies flying by.

“... We didn’t get the rings, huh.”

It slipped unconsciously from her lips, the sniper’s response is to hum in approval.

“Ah, s-sorry, Snowy Sniper-san-”

She mumbled something in small voice, almost inaudible. “As long as you’re okay, a stupid item doesn’t matter.”

“H, Huh?”

“No, never mind,” the sniper quickly interjected. “It’s boring to wait, don’t you think? They said they will mail quickly when we can log out for real.”

Another awkward silent ensued. Ah, how Rinko hated her inability to make a conversation happening, at times. Even though it’s in online game and their identity is hidden over the character makeup and settings, social interaction is one thing that’s hard to do. They are not even looking at each other or sitting beside each other directly, too.

“By the way. Earlier, NightSun gave me something.”

The sniper opened a huge interactive window in which Rinko could see. It listed a few add-ons for HBO players. She installed the recommended ones from her and Princess of Darkness, and there’s one new add-ons Rinko never recall available.

“[Hymn Option]?”

“With this, I can use more of my voice while in-game,” she turned to Rinko. “It enables me to sing here. Don’t you ever said you want to hear it?” Rinko was confused, she only blinked. “Isn’t calling me a hard thing to do for you?”

 _ _It is.__ Rinko might say. She hardly phoned anyone in her life aside her parents. Her wanting to call Yukina was simply on whim, and it wasn’t last too long.

“But … for you to get this far, I …” For her to do this -- it’s too much of spoiling. Rinko is nobody, so why Yukina is doing such things? “Why?”

Yukina seem to be losing her voice at the question why. She visibly chewing on her lips. “Do you dislike it?”

“I don’t, but, am I just a nobody to you; just someone who’s knowing you through this game?” Rinko pushed. “Why are you helping me, someone whom you barely know?”

[ The torrent of questions garnered no answers. ]


	5. error 404 = not found

_“I’m your friend.”_

\--Somehow, such simple answer can’t be said. Up until now, Yukina still asked why she couldn’t speak it. There’s no other answer except that. There’s no other explanation further than that. They are friends though they never met -- it’s the usual stuff; most people befriended through social media more nowadays and apart from each other.

Then, why the hesitation?

Yukina dumped another sugar block to her coffee. Perhaps it’s the third time today when she swirled another ripple of milk following it, the blackness it has turned pure white already.

It’s nothing to erase her cloud of doubts, though.

“Minato-san, it’s you.”

A familiar face dragged the chair beside her away for herself to seat, Hikawa Sayo greeted her. Accompanied by her guitar case and a score book by her hand, the turquoise-haired girl seem to be there not only for watching the gigs. Yukina didn’t keep the track of time as it passed, noticing that the sky is even more orange than when she first come there out of idleness. Guess she should thank Sayo for waking her up from her reverie. Saturday’s day off surely passed too quickly.

“Did I bother you?” Sayo asked. She must be looking at Yukina’s scorn face before asking.

“No, I’m … I’m doing nothing myself.” Yukina relaxed to her chair, she tried.

Sayo gave her a knowing glint, “No updates on RinRin I bet.”

“H, how do you-?” watching how Sayo is confident about her statement, Yukina only need to point the blame on a person. “Lisa told you?”

“Well,” she breaths. “You’re closer to her, if not Udagawa-san. She’s missing again from playing for a week,” the last time she’s online is when that incident occured. That, Yukina had told everyone of what happened. “Which is, makes me wonder if she’s really needed us or not to help.”

Their goal: helping user RinRin out of her social anxiety; that is unchanged. It’s true that they made friends with Lisa, Sayo and her, though there’s no apparent ‘improvement’ on anything. It’s hard to make someone so secluded to come out from their shell, that much everyone understand; then, how to seek the means of ‘improvement’ over this?

“We shouldn’t agree to help on the first place, knowing it got us anywhere.” Yukina chided. “This is wasting my time.”

Sayo said nothing to agree on the remarks, instead; “Are you sure you want to leave her be?”

“What are you talking about, Sayo?”

“You’re contradicting yourself. You’re the closest to her than us. Did something happen between the two of you?”

The table rattled as Yukina got up, glaring at the guitarist who seem to know-it-all. With her face void of any expression, the lilac-haired girl left the whitened coffee to wither, so is her feelings.

“That’s none of your concern.”

It was loud and clear.

 

* * *

 

 

As the night marches, Yukina arrived at the foot of her father’s workplace upon request. That night, her dad said to be taking overnights because paper work and some of students wanted additional session. Her mom asked Yukina to make sure her father taking her dinner instead skipping, and maybe helped him if necessary. 

Not like Yukina minded, aside her performance with Afterglow a few days later, she got nothing to do nor games to play.

The lounge of the music school still lively, even the cafeteria is still open. Yukina eyed a few of competition poster lined up by entrance way, thinking it is what drives the student to peel their eyes open and concentrate for days and night.

Yukina opted for a can of warm honey tea before searching in what room her father is. It’s particularly hot summer night, so she wanted a little ice to cool her nerves. Thankfully, she choose to wear sleeveless blouse as it is pretty suffocating in night train ride.

“Room 312 … huh, dad said she’d be in 3rd floor, usually he’s … here.”

Her mumbles paused as she opened the sliding door to room 312. There are lot of small classroom, mostly accommodated for students to freely use as they trained than for teacher to hold classes. Like, there’s a class filled with nothing but brass instruments. There also a wholly empty one which is soundproof. Most of functional classes room located on second floor, and Yukina’s dad usually loitering in 3rd one since he’s not a teacher bounded to a classroom teaching - he oversees ones who wanted depth training.

Room 312 is lit, a piano stood there without audience but with a player.

Raven-haired girl was sleeping on the pianist chair, loads of score paper scattered from lo and behold -- littering the floor, coloring the cover lid, blanketing the Sleeping Beauty.

If only Yukina didn’t feel the familiarity, she would surely left the room and pretended nothing happened.

“Shirokane-san?”

Yukina began with small voice. Of course, the pianist is not awakened from her slumber by such tiny impact. Shirokane-san was using her arms as pillows as she sleeps, her straight black hair curtaining her semblance making Yukina unsure if she’s calling the right person. Her fingers draped away the strands of raven; accessing that it is indeed the pianist she’s been searching for a while.

Sadly, the moment of silence is interrupted as lavender eyes come to life. Yukina retracted her hand and reflexively stepped back.

__She shouldn’t be the one who’s surprised, right?_ _

The pianist response is to rub her eyes. Yukina was torn between turning herself in or running for her life and never remember things ever happened. There, the pianist gasped. It sure took some time for her to response after waking up.

“I’m, I’m sorry. You’re asleep in strange place so I--”

Yukina mustered the finest bow she could to apologize of her behavior. Yet, the lilac-haired girl was not in the end of ‘being surprised’ line.

“... Yukina-san …?”

That voice - albeit small, it was as clear as a day.


	6. now on side quest @ RL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to tell you to be wary of slight sayorisa. That's all. Have a good day.

Yukina never know her dinner could be that silent--like, literally. Even though their spoons moving along to cut and get the food in their mouths, there’s no audible voices floating, at all. Shirokane Rinko sitting across her by the canteen table looked at only her food - she ordered a plate of omurice along with hot milk while she got Oyakodon instead, and a glass of sweet iced tea.

The canteen is a bit quiet now as most of students were either going home or going back to class. The vending machines for drink still operable and there are several staffs cleaning up tables and counters. They were sitting on the long wooden table and long bench located far from order counter. There might be only two of them there, but they sat across each other instead side-by-side.

Yukina’s father earlier saved her from her demise, though, only to make her sit together with Rinko instead in such uncomfortable silence. Yukina remembered faintly about her father saying something to ‘get along’ and/or ‘keep Shirokane-kun company before the session start again, he needs to be somewhere in teacher lounge’.

With sudden identity reveal, of course the atmosphere has been nothing but awkward. Rinko proved that she’s really, really shy - to the point her face going blue and she’s close to shrink away in any seconds. Those aspects made Yukina unsure what step to take, or anything to speak of as to break this silence.

“So …”  
  
A loud clatter over Omurice.

“I, I, I’m so--so--sorry, Yukina-san, I don’t--” the reply was fast, even faster than Yukina’s ability to compose a sentence. Something that the lilac-haired girl thinking out of whim slipped from her mind as Rinko stuttered, her face is bright red for some reason.

“It’s, It’s okay, I’m--I don’t want to … scold you or whatever.” __yeah, there’s nothing to be worked up about,__ Yukina tried hard to speak slower, however, her somewhat placid expression might scare Rinko already. “So you’re … Shirokane Rinko, the user behind RinRin?”

The raven-haired pianist gripped hard to the sleeve of her arm before she let out another squeak, “Y, Yes.”

“... We finally meet.”

Yukina said with a sigh. She put away her chopstick from half-eaten Oyakodon and crossed her arm on the table, searching Rinko’s face. The raven-haired pianist quickly looked down again, as if something more interesting is there on her lap instead their conversation.

‘We finally meet by coincidence’ Yukina might add. Although, it’s not the first time they have met outside the game.

The first one is through their short collaboration. While it couldn’t exactly be said that they are ‘collaborating’, because Yukina only helped Rinko to pass her exam, but the connection they experienced was close to be surmised as one. Rinko is really an experienced pianist, her tons of achievements and efforts showed on how she played.

It was quite enjoyable to sing along such beautiful tunes, not because it’s her father song that she sang, but because of how Rinko put her everything in the melody she created -- Yukina could sense it. Perhaps, the black-haired girl already noticed the singer that she tried to pull her very best, or as it is a test that she must conquer, or she doesn’t want to lose face. In any rate, Yukina was more than touched, Rinko’s skill is something that’s worth of any praises.

“Y, You’re not angry?”

“Why should I be?” Yukina blinked at the interrogative.

“After all I … I avoided everyone … even you, b-but you’ve been so kind to m-me.”

Yukina wondered when she actually find her smile again, and it happens right now.

Rinko has been apologetic to the last seconds she started talking, which Yukina found to be relieving. She’s just how her being inside game, not a fake personality hiding behind the mere cover of ‘shy’ person. What Ako led to believe is right, this shy Rinko needed some helping hands to get out from her shyness shell. It’s already the brave of her trying to converse with someone in real life, in which she tried to give Yukina a phone call. On the top of it, Rinko didn’t use her ‘fame’ to try befriend someone.

“No one can force a shy person to become fearless in one day,” Yukina spoke. “Though, I do think you didn’t run away when we met is already a brave of you.”

Rinko’s response was similar to a fish, mouth gaping and closing instead replying on Yukina’s praise. Her face went even more redder, reaching the tip of her ears. The lilac-haired girl chuckled a little at that, and Rinko instinctively hiding her face with both hands.

“Let’s finish our dinner before it gets cold? Your break is almost up. We can talk again later.”

“... Y-Yes.”

 

* * *

 

Sayo was surprised to open her phone to see a lot of missed call from a particular person. She was practicing on few songs with her favorite guitar, leaving the phone silenced for the time being as she concentrated. There are eleven miss calls and almost twenty count of LINE convo … it looked like emergency but Sayo opted to access the situation via LINE first before anything.

The window opened to the contact of  Imai Lisa, which she set up with red color for chat background. Lisa is using their photos from where the gyaru dragged her to __purikura__ booth a week ago. It’s not rare for the brunette to spam stickers in their chat room, also sometimes she’d just call randomly at the middle of night to have an aimless chat.

Her girlfriend is a sweetheart though; Lisa always keep Sayo company thorough her gigs and to the weekends, and everything seems fun to do. She will ask whether Sayo wanted to go somewhere around weekends, having a movie night, or cooking together--well, it’s not time to wander about that.

Each of chats interval is almost less than a minute:

 _”Sayo”_  
  
_“halp”_

_“*help”_

_“pls reply quick tell me what I should do”_

_“Sayooo”_

_“Aaaaa”_

_“I saw Yukina walking from the station with her father and a girl I NEVER seen before” _\--__ yeah, Sayo’s eyes bulged at that too. Especially at the part of ‘a girl I never seen before’ and ‘with her father’.

_“P”_

_”no if u re wondering, no, I don’t think they’re simply friends, I mean they walked close and talked to each other -- close! Soooooo close!”_

_“she’s not even from Hanegaoka, or DID YUKINA WALKS WITH AN OLDER GIRL!? BUT Y WITH HER FATHER” _\--__ okay, that seem to be a plausible explanation if she looks unfamiliar and all, not even in high school? Then she must be Yukina’s father acquaintance? Why Lisa needed to freak out?

_“i GREETED them oh god why am I such a bother”_

_“they looked happy tho but but”_

_“so yukina’s taste is an older girl huh, oh, they’re goin’ to a cafe near station too, prolly I should leave.”_

_“i’ll try extracting info from yukina later.”_

_“oh, oh, I got her name! Yukina introduced her before I jet. Her name is Shirokane Rinko!”_

__

In the end, Sayo is the one who screamed.


	7. EVER / AFTER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this deserved more words on epilogue, I've decided to end this story as is. Thank you for being a reader to this experimental story, I hope I can do more YukiRin in the future, they are such a cute combo of mismatch XD

That morning in fine Saturday, Sayo and Rinko were out to a family restaurant to discuss about the class’ preparation again.

Rinko was apologetic that she couldn’t come to the school on next Monday because of some rehearsals, while she’s helping Sayo with knitting the costumes. Sayo asked earlier where Rinko would like to meet, when Rinko proposed that going to the nearby restaurant from her piano school will be better.

The raven-haired girl said to Sayo that she could spend a good two hours and started to help with the stuff. Sayo didn’t waste her time as they met on the table, too.

\--That being said, Sayo couldn’t help but to be distraught over something. Something she happened to witness - well, not directly. She would blame on Lisa later on sharing her quirk of curiosity.

“Shirokane-san?”

Rinko didn’t miss a beat of her stitching upon the call, but she stopped for what Sayo have to say. Her purple eyes perked up, waiting.

Meanwhile, Sayo wasn’t sure if she can really ask this.

“Do you know someone by the name of Minato Yukina?”

Sayo blinked when Rinko suddenly turned red, even redder than how she is usually when being full-blown shy mode. The turquoise-haired girl was afraid that it is a case-sensitive issue.

Was knowing somebody a case-sensitive issue, though?

“W-W-What about Y-Yukina-san?”

Now, another turn that Sayo didn’t see: Rinko, someone as shy as Shirokane Rinko, is on a first name basis with Minato Yukina, a lone wolf singer whom usually never let anyone coming near her?

Is this really the same Yukina that they are talking about? Sayo indeed addressed Yukina’s full name earlier for Rinko to know and Rinko replied with familiarity, so Sayo’s track of questioning is not wrong.

Sayo simply couldn’t believe her ears.

“Minato-san is that singer whom I wanted to introduce to you before, on that gig.” Sayo opted for a neutral explanation. “And it sounded like you’ve known her … maybe better that I do?”

Rinko shook her head fast. “N-No it’s not like that! Yukina-san … err she was, umm she is my--my partner!”

Thankfully, Sayo wasn’t drinking, or not, she must’ve spitted the water out already.

Sayo didn’t know what to say after that bits of information, she found it a bit hard to swallow. Wait. What? Someone as shy as Shirokane Rinko is partnering with Minato Yukina? And it is a ‘was’? Rinko was SOMEONE to Yukina? Somebody significant? A partner in what kind of terms? How can a barely stuttering Rinko talk to a high-and-mighty Minato Yukina?

“Ah, umm, p-please don’t get the wrong idea. W-We haven’t done anything far y-yet!”

Okay, this … personal query needs to stop somehow. For the better of Rinko’s privacy as well as for Sayo’s heart (so it doesn’t fall off out of the shock).

Perhaps Sayo should watch out for the silent ones next time?

“Shirokane-san, do you realize that you’re practically, umm, digging on your own hole?”

“H-Huh? I, I did?”

“Yes, so …” Sayo scratched her neck. It IS Sayo’s fault in the first place to bring out a sensitive topic from the first place. Not like the turquoise-haired girl felt the need to be jealous that someone like Yukina already progressed ‘that far’.

“So, so you’re together, I’ve never know.”

“Yukina-san’s strong singing voice resonated inside me and helped me through … many hardships.”

Rinko confessed quietly. Sayo didn’t know whether she should be surprised to know that Rinko has heard Yukina before or simply touched by the truth. Sayo does agree with Rinko, Yukina’s voice surely is a spectacle to behold - how she put her emotion through her song and how her tones never falter.

“M-Mind if I ask why … the sudden question, Hikawa-san?”

“Oh,” wait, Sayo didn’t think that far for this questioning. She wasn’t prepared for this inquiry.

“My … __friend__  is wondering. She’s a childhood friend of Minato-san and she wondered whether you’re a good or a bad person.”

 _ _Rinko is not a type to harm an ant, right?__  Sayo suddenly thought.

“D-Did your friend see us last night?”

Sayo nodded “Yeah, she did.”

“T-The world sure is s-small isn’t it?”

Rinko commented. Sayo chuckled at the comment. As surprising as it is, it is the undeniable truth. While it may be given that they are living in a close-knit community of a city with similar background of music, it feels magical for them to be connected.

Guess Sayo would need to have all of them meeting later on someday.

“As we’re still in the topic, can I ask how do you meet up with Minato-san?” Sayo continued. “I mean, you’re the type who is spending more time for piano and there’s Minato-san who’s mostly by herself …”

 

* * *

 

 

“... And when you told her that it is because of an online game, she was pausing for a long while?”

Snowy Sniper and the Wizard RinRin were having a leisure time after beating an event-exclusive dungeon. Snowy Sniper couldn’t contain her amusement as RinRin suddenly told her about her encounter with Sayo this morning.

The top of the tower, False Eden Garden, which has been their temporary place when there’s an error on PK event some time ago is allowed to be visited by the staff. This has been a secret place for RinRin and Snowy Sniper for some time already.

The staffs said that the False Eden Garden entry is as a part of damage compensation. Then again, the staffs also asked for both of them to get feedback of the environment in there before the HBO staff allowed this garden to be a part of recreational VR experience. It’s quite a win-win solution for both of them - like a closed beta test benefit.

After the last time they left the top of tower as is without much grasslands to see, the staff added lush greenery--flower bushes, more trees, shaped topiary--also an eye-catching waterfall that looked like fallen straight from the sky above and merged as one with the flowing river on the Earth.

“Mhm, Hikawa--err NightSun-san was stunned.”

RinRin merry laughter followed. She felt bad somehow for making the usually composed Sayo flustered beyond talking, but she can say that the expression is priceless.

“I see that the two of us is making the strangest combination out there.”

“Oh, but … I think you’re not a strange person per se, Snowy Sniper-san.”

“I know.”

Bigger place and all, RinRin and Snowy Sniper always settled below the big tree that they had been staying before, they will spend time talking there for a bit before a dungeon re-spawn.

The night is getting late in the real world, but they didn’t bother. Today, the Heaven Banisher Online is a place where they could meet in-between busy schedules.

“This Monday you’ll be having a piano rehearsal for the next prefectural competition, right? I’ll come to watch.”

“E-Eh? There’s no need to-”

“It’s alright. I like your piano playing.” Snowy Sniper said solemnly, their eye contacts didn’t break. “And I want to meet up with you again.”

It is unknown if the VR system facilitated them to blush as fiery as how it is in the real life, RinRin could say her face is overheating and she couldn’t hide it from the said sniper in fedora. Not to mention, their shoulders are touching - they are close within a range of breath in one secluded, private area.

Well, it __is__  in-game and it __is__ channeled with Virtual Reality, yet it doesn’t fail to make the wizard’s heart race.

A ping sound of notification is coming from RinRin’s system, the dungeon will re-spawn in less than three minutes. Snowy Sniper peered to see the window, humming.

“Right, one more thing before I forgot.” the Sniper got up, then she gestured for the wizard to take her hand.

RinRin is puzzled. “Is something wrong?”

“Just … get up first.” Snowy Sniper adjusted her fedora down, looking away from the black Wizard.

While confused, RinRin didn’t waste a time to take the Sniper’s outstretched hand. The Sniper held on her palm, steadying the Wizard on her stand.

From the inventory pocket, Snowy Sniper produced an item, a glistening golden ring crowned with ornaments. RinRin blinked as the item information is shown on her screen:

 

[ __Grave of Butterflies__ ]

Type - Ring

Rarity - 6*

 

Snowy Sniper took the ring on the wizard’s right ring finger, and they stayed for a while as the item transfer screen commenced, looking at each other with mixed expression; delight, shock, happiness.

That ring was supposed to be a drop item for Killer Vaganza event, before the session is canceled because of the player killer’s spree.

“The staffs gave me this too as a compensation item,” Snowy Sniper smiled softly. Part of her face is concealed by her signature fedora but it didn’t hide the strong light from her eyes. “I’ve been meaning to give it to you.”

The ring itself is very valuable, it can raise the player stats greatly and all. There’s also a leaked information from the patch that this ring will be further enhanced in the future installment of HBO.

RinRin knew that Snowy Sniper is not that focused player in HBO - still, to give away such rare item easily.

“Yukina-san, a-are you … sure?

“Isn’t … this an apt requirement to go with marriage system?”

RinRin blanked at that. Wait. Did the VR helmet broke?

“Oh, are you already planning on marriage with Princess of Darkness? You, you should’ve told me sooner.” the Sniper drooped her shoulders, she looks dejected.

“But w-why me? I’m not that good, and I ever avoided you-”

The Sniper's response is a shook of head. They have shared this conversation before last night. They also shared this bits when going to the Killer Vaganza event back then. 'It doesn't matter how bleak the past was. What matters is that you have a desire to change to be a better you.'

“You __really__  should value yourself more,” the Sniper chuckled. “This will be a promise from me to walk beside you from now on. I want to support you and your courage to change.”

 

.

.

.

 

 

“Lisa-nee, Lisa-nee, listen to this! I just got a message from RinRin!”

Ako, whom has finished helping with her older sister band Afterglow one-man live, is greeting Lisa by the live house lounge. Lisa was there to help a few of her friends with bass playing, and she met up with Ako by coincidence.

Lisa squinted to see Ako’s phone screen, it was a bit too bright that she couldn’t see clearly from a distance between lounge table and the counter where Ako had waved her. “What’s that~?”

“RinRin’s character is now married with Snowy Sniper-san! She should be invisible now with the boosted stats! We can go on dungeons easier later~”

 

.

 

It didn’t take Lisa another second to spam Yukina with calls that night, and to Sayo as well to help her alleviate the shock.


End file.
